Literature Review On Intermittent Fasting

Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide and its prevalence is increasing at an alarming rate (Barness et al, 2007). For thousands of years obesity was rarely seen, it was not until the 20th century that it became common, some much so that in 1997, the World Health Organization (WHO) formally recognized obesity as a global epidemic (Caballero, 2007).

Towards the end of his medical training in the early 1980s, Gokhan Hotamisligil was working on a unique tumor case on a patient and found they were comprised primarily of fat cells. The fatty tumors were due to a rare condition, Proteus Syndrome. Working in the field of metabolic regulation Hotamisligil began to explore the underlying pathways for insulin resistance. In his dissertation he discovered that the fat tissue of obese animals and humans were capable of producing inflammatory mediators. His research helped shape the current view of fat tissue as a “discrete, active organ in its own right, continuously exchanging messages with the rest of the body by way of the bloodstream.” By early 2002 Hotamisligil and his laboratory made

The lack of calories consumed during fasting has dramatic effects on the body’s systems. Because of the

Although the mechanism of obesity development is not fully understood, it is confirmed that obesity occurs when energy intake exceeds energy expenditure. There are multiple etiologies for this imbalance, hence, and the rising prevalence of obesity cannot be addressed by a single etiology (Dehghan et al., 2005, p.

One thing that the world’s health experts and leaders can agree upon is that obesity is a major health problem in our modern era. Obesity is not only an aesthetic concern, there are also serious medical conditions associated with obesity such as diabetes type 2, heart disease, increased blood pressure, and increased cholesterol. In America alone, over 300,000 people die every year with obesity related health problems. (Sharma) That being said, worldwide there is little agreement about what is a safe BMI (Body Mass Index) to avoid the complications of obesity.

Obesity is defined as the excessive build-up of body fat that has major detrimental effects on an individual’s health (Caballero, 2007). The major cause of this excess accumulation of body fat is due to a positive energy balance i.e. when the input of energy into the body system exceeds the output of energy which in turn facilitates in weight gain (Caballero, 2007). Obesity is a major health issue in modern day society, firstly because it affects approximately 300 million people worldwide (Weight Management Centre and secondly, drastic alteration in the body’s fat intake also leads to the increasing prevalence of other major health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, non-insulin dependent diabetes and hypertension (WMC, 2010).

Obesity, the condition of being severely overweight, is a serious issue in the United States that is gradually beginning to affect more and more citizens. In recent years, the number of Americans suffering from this chronic disease has significantly increased. Researchers have found that nearly one third of the U.S. population is considered overweight and, on average, three hundred thousand individuals die yearly as a result of obesity (Hollands et al. 2). When one participates in little to no physical activity and their diet consists mostly of high fat foods, chances are they will gain weight. If someone becomes obese, they may develop serious health related issues that, in some cases,

Around the world, obesity has recently become a growing epidemic and its prevalence is continuing to increase at an astonishing rate. According to Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) and National Population Health Survey (NPHS), between 1985 to 2000 there has been an increase in obesity prevalence from 5.1% to 9.3% in Canadians ages 20-64 (1). Likewise, this has significantly increased the amount of deaths due to obesity from 2,514 to 4,321 from 1985 to 2000 (1). This trend in growth in obesity will continue to increase unless obesity is treated more seriously, which could be done by treating obesity as a disease (1).

This constitutes aprroximently 10% of daily enery expenditure (Blanchard, 1982; van Baak, 2008). There’s some evidence that links diet induced thermogenesis in the control of body weight, and believed to allow an individual to adapt to a diet low in nutrients by ingesting more food without gaining weight when stimulated, and allows the individual body to slow down weight loss during fasting and starting situations(van Zant,

This approach not only reduces caloric intake, it triggers the SIRT1 gene or “rescue gene”, a type of survival mechanism that protects cells, inhibits fat storage, and increases fat metabolism when food is

Bariatric is the field of medicine that manages obesity and the disease that accompanies it. Obesity is a chronic disease associated with the three leading causes of death in the United States: cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cancer. (McCance 1477). Successful interventions fare needed to help improve obesity, which affects more than one-third (34.9% or 78.6 million) of US adults. (CDC 1). Drug therapy and bariatric surgery are used as adjuncts to diet and exercise in the treatment for obese patients with a BMI greater than 30. (Burchum 998).

It was merely a decade ago that the obesity epidemic was thought to only be a minor problem and had only alarmed a small number of endocrinologists interested by the size of the situation (James, 2008). However today, the problem of obesity is vast with more awareness of its presence by doctors and individuals alike. In fact, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention states, “More than one-third (34.9% or 78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese (CDC, 2014)”. These numbers are outrageous and eye opening, leaving millions looking for a solution to this troubling epidemic. Obesity is not simply a cosmetic flaw as some might think, but is actually a very dangerous state of being for any individual to sustain long-term. Mentioned further in

Although obesity can be tackled through increased exercise and a better diet, for those who are already obese the health consequences are severe. On average, being obese decreases life expectancy by nearly 10 years. In addition, it is associated with dramatically increased risks of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease and hyperlipidaemia. It has also been suggested that in the not too distant future, obesity could not only become the leading cause of liver failure, but also the leading cause of cancer worldwide. Further research into these obesity-related diseases is crucial.

Obesity is ranked second among preventable causes of death. About 70% of American adults are either overweight or obese. Being obese or overweight puts the host at a higher risk for health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and much more (Alonso-Alonso). When I found out about this jaw dropping information, I decided to take action and I made it my goal to maintain a low body fat percentage over the course of two weeks (I will be sharing my experience further down the road). Because of an elevated mood, aesthetic improvements, health benefits, and my positive experience, obtaining low bodyfat percentage is very beneficial.

A major part of Intermittent Fasting is eating. Yes, that sounds self-explanatory, doesn’t it? Let me explain. Eat- ing is very important in our day-to-day lives and we must consider what we consume very carefully. With Inter- mittent Fasting, you can consume higher calorie foods like that six-dollar burger from Carl’s Jr or that pasta from Olive Garden without worrying too much about excessive fat gain, but you do have to ensure that your body gets its proper nutrients.